I may be going to Puerto Rico in early fall. Any good birding opportunities there at that time? If so, where? I've not been there before, so any other advice and photo locations would be appreciated.
Hi Roger,
I was born in the Island, but started birding after moving to Florida. I have several opportunities to go birding in PR, and my favorites places are the Guanica Dry Forest, Maricao Forest Preseve, and the Cabo Rojo Salt Flats. I also have the opportunity to go to Vieques and was also nice, good place to relax and enjoy some awesome beaches... anyway some target species: Tody, Antillean Euphonia, Puertorican flycatcher.
I have several pics loaded on this gallery http://www.pbase.com/raul_q/puerto_rico_birds
Not the best shots but maybe will give you an idea of what to expect on the different places since I have include location on the shots.
Good luck, let me know if you find some new hot spots
Raul
Raul,
Thank you. Your suggestions are a big help. You have many very nice images and a lot of diversity. Any idea how early October might be? It seems a little early for the fall migratory birds to get that far south, or is it? Or are many of the birds you show there all year?
Roger, almost all the birds that Raul has in his pbase gallery should be in Puerto Rico in October...very few other than the shorebirds are migratory. You should have a fine time seeing some really cool birds! Good luck with the photography and I look forward to seeing your results. It's an island that I've always wanted to visit.
Judd is correct on the statement above.
Most birders like to go to the Island and track the 17 endemics (some list 16) species.
The access roads, specially for the Maricao Forest Preserve, could be tricky; narrow, going down/up hill and lots of sharp turns, some areas are slippery when wet.
The weather is unpredictable and most areas will be hot, specially on the Dry Forest, make sure to bring plenty water. Some of the trails on the Dry Forest are loose rock, require a steady step and are slow moving specially if you are planning to carry your heavy equipment.
Maricao normally have pleasant temperature due to to the elevation. This is my favorite destination.
The Salt Flats is nice, but I only have visit this area on the December-January months... there is a lighthouse at the end of the road some people like this area for landscape photography.
If you are press for time and want to maximize your chances, you may want to consider a birding tour, a quick google search will provide some local guides. I have not use their services, I will not be able to recommend one.
I am going next month, hoping for one day for birding. If I find any good information I'll contact you.
I am also from PR and have lead both birding and photo tours on the island. I agree with what Raul said, but I also have some other suggestions.
My absolute favorite and most productive location is the Cambalache State forest. One of the bets locations to photograph the majestic, elusive and endemic Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo, plus many other endemic and native species. Very buggy place (similarly to the Guanica Dry forest), but VERY productive.
After visiting the Guanica Dry forest, a great location, go to the location were you can take the little ferry boat to Giligans Island. Across the street from the little beach there, is a lagoon that is rife with shorebirds a very close proximity, Both Yellowlegs, Back Necked Stilts, many many peeps and many others.
While you are there, go to Gilligans island (a series of very small mangrove islands) for some awesome swimming around the mangroves.
Cabo Rojo salt flats are a great location, but can be hit or miss. Winter is best here, and some great scenics. If you go to the lighthouse, you have great chances of catching White-Tailed tropicbirds on the wing.
The are around Parguera is also very productive, with a few endemic species, such as the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird, PR Spindalis, PR Emerald (hummer), PR Tody, Green Mango, PR Flycatcher, PR Woodpecker, and some cool exotic species such as the Pin-tailed Whydah.
Unfortunately one of my alltime favorite places and one of the most productive for me, Isabela, has declined in recent years because of some development.
Roger- I worked on seabirds in Culebra for 16 years and would recommend it highly. Get yourself to Fajardo on the east end of the big island and take the ferry across. It will feel like you have been transported back in time. There are 13 species of seabirds breeding on the cayos around the main island and almost all breed within a USFWS Refuge. In August you should still be able to see Brown and Masked Boobies, tropicbirds, and various terns.
J, John, Judd and Raul,
Thanks for all the great suggestions. My trip is still a few months off, so keep those suggestions coming. It will be a great resource for future travelers too.
Roger- I forgot to mention El Junque National Forest on the east end of the big island. This is tropical rain forest with very stunted growth at the summits and is home to the endemic Elfin Woods Warbler!
Puerto Rico is one of the best kept secrets in the Caribbean. It's an amazing place for photography.
UPDATE:
Just got back from my PR trip, it was a good birding trip, but only a few keepers... I want to use the excuse that my arm is still bothering me and is painful handling the equipment. I also got lost few times (I was born and raise on the Island) and getting good light on the dense vegetation is always a challenge.
I visited the central part of the Island, I stay in Casa Grande Mountain Retreat, Utuado PR. It was nice experience to spend few days on what it could be describe as the "simple life". Most of the birding was done at the Hotel, one morning I was able to spot three endemics on the same mango three; Puerto Rican Oriole, Puerto Rican Woodpecker, and the Puerto Rican Flycatcher. Later, few feet away I saw the Puerto Rican Emerald Humming Bird, and my wife got a glimpse of the Puerto Rican bullfinch. I also so dozens of gray Kingbirds (which is one of the most common birds on the Island), bananaquit, and the smooth-billed ani.
I also went for the first time to the cambalache forest, Arecibo and I was able to see (and get dozens of bad pictures) of my target bird, the Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo (a lifer for me). I also was able to spot several Puerto Rican Todies on both locations.
My best advice, if you are traveling to the center of the Island get Good directions to where you are heading and a good map, is very easy to miss your turn, the road are narrow and with too many sharp narrow turns (my wife an daughter got dizzy), most of the people familiar with the roads drive fast and are impatient, including the truck drivers.
If you are going to Cambalache, bring lots of mosquito repellent and be careful with the abundant wasp. If you have a gps it may be helpful.
I am flying to PR by end of Jan and will be there for a full week. Lots of useful information in this thread. Appreciate any further inputs/ tips you might have.
I will be staying with my BIL. I do not speak a word of Spanish and neither does he. Can I manage with English?
Thinking of buying a GPS to get around as Raul suggested, but finding it hard to direct photo equipment $$ towards that.
I do have better beamer, but my Sigma EF-500 is broke after crashing on hard surface. How important is a flash? Can I getaway without buying a new one?
Here is the equipment list I have for the trip:
40d, 20d, Sigma 500mm f/4.5, Tamron 1.4x tele, 100-400 IS, 17-40 L, 100mm f/2.8 macro all in a Think tank Airport acceleration Version 1, with rain cover.
It might be a once in a lifetime trip for me and I am looking to do my best
What are you looking to photograph? If you are looking for birds I would definitely bring the 500, and a flash. As mentioned before the most productive places will be Cambalache, El Yunque (Tropical Rain Forest) and Cabo Rojo. Those destinates pretty much will take you all over the island.
You will do fine without knowing any spanish, it's not hard to find someone who speaks or at least understands english.. A little harder outside the metropolitan area but none-the-less not very difficult.
If you do buy a GPS, MAKE sure it has PR roads on it, as not all do.
Any preference of Early morning or late evening for photography at these locations. Or does it not matter as the birds are under thick canopy and fill flash is the way to go?
Am I right to assume the golden hour is very short even in winter as PR is closer to the equator?
Puerto Rico photo ops
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